to be
distorted or modified, it did not fail to escape his detection, though he
was always tolerant of any liberties taken with his own form of
expression, so long as the words written down conveyed his real meaning.

His letters and reports written, and his sketches of drawings made and
explained, the remainder of the evening was usually devoted to
conversation with his wife and those of his pupils who lived under his
roof, and constituted, as it were, part of the family. He then delighted
to test the knowledge of his young companions, and to question them upon
the principles of mechanics. If they were not quite "up to the mark" on
any point, there was no escaping detection by evasive or specious
explanations. These always brought out the verdict, "Ah! you know nought
about it now; but think it over again, and tell me when you understand
it." If there were even partial success in the reply, it was at once
acknowledged, and a full explanation given, to which the master would add
illustrative examples for the purpose of impressing the principle more
deeply upon the pupil's mind.

It was not so much his object and purpose to "cram" the minds of the
young men committed to his charge with the _results_ of knowledge, as to
stimulate them to educate themselves--to induce them to develop their
mental and moral powers by the exercise of their own free energies, and
thus acquire that habit of self-thinking and self-reliance which is the
spring of all true manly action. In a word, he sought to bring out and
invigorate the _character_ of his pupils. He felt that he himself had
been made stronger and better through his encounters with difficulty; and
he would not have the road of knowledge made too smooth and easy for
them. "Learn for yourselves,--think for yourselves," he would
say:--"make yourselves masters of principles,--persevere,--be
industrious,--and there is then no fear of you." And not the least
emphatic proof of the soundness of this system of education, as conducted
by Mr. Stephenson, was afforded by the after history of these pupils
themselves. There was not one of those trained under his eye who did not
rise to eminent usefulness and distinction as an engineer. He sent them
forth into the world braced with the spirit of manly self-help--inspired
by his own noble example; and they repeated in their after career the
lessons of earnest effort and persistent industry which his daily life
had taught them.

St